The invention relates to building construction and particularly to methods and apparatus for fabricating tile roofs. Various types of tile roofs are known including those using two piece mission (a tapered tile), two piece straight barrel tile, Spanish, shingle, semi-flat and Italian or Florentine tile. In two piece roof constructions, lower or pan tiles are positioned in rows, usually with the convex side downward and adjacent to a waterproof membrane which is on top of sheathing. The rows extend "vertically." The upper or cover tiles are also disposed in "vertically" extending rows which are substantially intermediate the rows of pan tiles. The upper or cover tiles ordinarily will have their convex sides disposed upward and away from the waterproof membrane. The upper tiles will usually be disposed with their axially extending marginal portion overlapping the pan tiles. The pan and cover tiles are sometimes referred to, respectively, as gutter and field tiles.
For ease of description, the terms "horizontal" and "vertical" will be used here to describe certain orientations. The term "horizontal" will be understood to refer to a direction, along the surface of the roof, which is parallel to the ridge and eave of the roof on which the invention is utilized. The term "vertical" will be understood to refer to a direction along the surface of the roof which is perpendicular to a "horizontal" line running along the roof. It will be clear that since most roofs do not have surfaces which extend in normal relation to the surface of the earth, that the vertical orientation does not literally exist, but that this is a term used merely to facilitate describing the invention.
In general, such tile roofs have been constructed by using a nail which passes through a hole in each tile. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,002,206 which issued to the present applicant on May 21, 1935. That patent relates to a construction which utilizes an axially tapered shell which contains a plastic cement material. A nail is driven through this material and also through a membrane which is disposed intermediate the sheathing and the tile. The plastic cement material has the desirable attribute of providing a positive seal around the nail and the interface of the nail with the membrane.
It will be understood that the tiles in such constructions typically are manufactured of a relatively porous material and that the membrane, which is disposed under the tile and above the sheathing, is relied on to provide an effective weather seal to keep out water and the like. Although the apparatus in accordance with the above referred to patent does provide a significant improvement, it does have certain drawbacks. Such nailing, for example, typically requires the use of wooden strips to mount the courses of tiles which are to be secured to the roof. Other difficulties with some of the known apparatus and methods is that some of them will not be suitable for use on a variety of tile shapes. Others require the driving of nails through the membrane.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide apparatus and a method for fabricating a tile roof that has improved sealing characteristics.
It is another object of the apparatus and method in accordance with the invention to provide an invention which is capable of being used with a wide variety of shapes and sizes of tile.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus which eliminates the driving of nails through a sealing membrane.
Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus which eliminates the requirement of mounting a plurality of wooden strips on the surface of the roof which is to be resurfaced.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus which eliminates the requirement for marking the surface of the roof with a chalk line.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which is easy to use and suitable for use by "do-it-yourselfers."